Each day we are confronted with messages of death, destruction and lack. We live in a chaotic world filled with voices that invade us with unbelieving and disheartening words. They rattle on and on through television, radio, newspapers and even our closest friends and family.


Everywhere we turn we are given the opportunity to be affected by the world's message. Ah, but this broken record has a flip side, a new song of deliverance! A song that will free us from the chains of circumstance and empower us to live victoriously no matter what the situation.

However, the choice still remains ours. Will we sing along to the same old tune, or flip sides and learn a new song? It isn't hard; the words are right there in the book. All you have to do is pick it up and start practicing.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21).

Jairus' Story
In the Gospel of Luke we are introduced to Jairus, a ruler of synagogue and a high official in the church. Desperate and filled with anxiety over his only daughter's nearing death, he joined the multitude waiting for Jesus who was just returning from the country of the Gadarenes.

And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him. And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a rule of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: for he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
(Luke 8:40-42)

By this time the rules and high officials in the church were strongly opposed to Jesus and his teachings. So much so, that plans were being made to kill Him. You can imagine how Jairus must have felt as he fell to his knees and begged for a favor from Jesus, the very man his peers were planning to kill!.

The scripture goes on,

And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, come behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, "Who touched me?"

When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, "Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?" And Jesus said, "somebody touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately. And He said unto her, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."
(Luke 8:43-48)

Isn't it just like a woman to be persistent and tenacious when she has a need? She didn't fall at His feet and beg for a miracle. She didn't even consult Him in the matter! She simply acted on her own faith in the divine healing power working in Jesus' life.

Her faith actually drew the healing power out from Jesus without His being aware of her specific problem. She put a demand on Jesus through faith, and she was made whole because of it.

It was an awesome miracle, but it wasn't helping Jairus. I can almost hear Jairus saying, "My kid's dying right now! This woman's had her problem for 12 years! Can't He take care of her later? Let's go!"

In verse 49 of the Gospel of Luke the story continues,

While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master." But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, "Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole."

When the messenger came, Jairus' heart sank. But Jesus, immediately upon hearing the bad report, chose to not be affected by it. He was full of faith that Jairus' daughter would live and be made whole regardless of the present circumstances.

He told Jairus not to fear, but only to believe and his daughter would be made whole. Fear is faith working in reverse and faith is what Jairus would need to see his daughter alive and well.

"And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, 'Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth'" (Luke 8:51-52).

Notice that Jesus allowed only Peter, James, John and the parents into the house with Him and the dead girl. Obviously others were trying to get in if He allowed only these few.  I imagine that the rest of the disciplines were saying, "I tell you one thing, I follow Jesus the same as those! I heard Peter cussing just last week yet I have to stay out here on the porch!"

The mourning crowd mocked and laughed at Jesus for claiming that the girl was sleeping. They knew that Jairus' daughter was dead.  She had probably been dead for a while before He was even able to get there.

Yet again, Jesus was not affected by the message of the girl's death, the fear in Jairus, the angry disciplines or the mocking mourners. He refused to be affected by what the world was doing and saying around Him.

"And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, 'Maid, arise.' And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done" (Luke 8:54-56).

Notice that Jesus was not interested in the spectacular. He charged the parents not to tell anyone. Today, if someone was raised from the dead, every T.V. camera in America would be on the scene saying, "Okay, make the dead person do something, let's see how it works."

But Jesus wasn't interested in the publicity the miracle would bring Him. He was interested in seeing the afflicted healed. Jesus never said that He had the gift of miracles and of healing. He had God, and because He had God, He had all that too. He said, "But the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 14:10).

Don't Let the World Affect Your Spirit
Don't allow the world to affect your spirit. Your spirit must take precedent over your situation. "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). No matter what the situation, God is greater.

He lives inside of you and your faith in Him will enable you to overcome any situation. You don't have to deny how bad your situation is, just don't be affected by it.

God said He will supply my need according to his riches in glory (Phil. 4:19). He said if I doubt not in my heart but believe that those things that I say will come to pass, they will! All I have to say is, "Mountain, be thou removed" (Mark 11:23).

God didn't tell me to go up on the mountain, get spiritually crazy on it, build a camp up and pray over it all day, every day. He said it pretty simple. Just don't doubt, believe it and say it. Faith will move the mountain.

Source: Don't Be Affected By the World's Message by Jesse Duplantis
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers